Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I'm trying a few things with the trout feeding. I have a bit of a pattern I do every time, hoping they get used to a feeding time. I have been part crushing the 2mm pellets so they sink, and throwing them in to get their attention. They start flicking around after the food and if a few break the surface, I chuck some whole pellets at the water to see if I can keep them going. I sort of "lose them" so I go back to crushing the pellets to keep them feeding. I end up with quite a few floating pellets left over which isn't good.

The silvers haven't eaten for a day now. I drop in a few crushed pellets to see if they are interested, but I think it's too cold now.

Did some more tests.
Am 0
Rite 0
Rate 5-10
pH 7.6
Bubbles on 24/7

This last lot of trout we got took almost a week to start feeding properly. Although, we have found that this lot are very shy. We have a cover over our tank and feed them handful at a time, then close the cover. You can here them splish sploshing about getting the pallets. (if you got them from Tooperang they are large enough to take the pallets whole). Hope this helps.

My trout are freerange now. They have stopped huddling under the silver's cage and can be found wondering the whole tank. I have been getting a luke warm reception at feeding time this weekend and this morning was the same. I crushed up a handfull and pelted it in. They slowly started feeding and a few even broke the surface, so I chucked in another small handfull of whole pellets and they had a bit of a go until the feed floated away and the crushed ones run out. I did another little pile of crushed ones which got them going again and left them to check out the veges.
Whilst I was plucking grubs ( ) I heard some splashing and went and had a sneaky look and they appeared to be cleaning up the leftovers. A few jumps here and there, hardly a maelstrom but they were eating. I threw the grubs in and left them to it.
If they are going to graze after I leave, it's going to make it hard to use the feed them till they are full strategy.

I didn't get them from Tooperang. Lewiston was closer (and 2X the price) but they are 4-5 inches long. I only crack the pellets to make them sink. All the behaviour you're mentioning is similar to mine. This is my first time fish farming (or fish anything really) so I'm not sure what it should look like.
They look comfortable and I haven't lost any of the trout or the silvers so I'm happy to watch and learn.

I have 6 or so tomatoes coming along and pulled a turnip yesterday.

Something a bit new today. Opened the lid to feed the and there were 2 trout yingyanging around each other at the surface. They've never been at the surface before. Amusing or concerning?

I'm getting increasingly worried. I'm not pumping enough water according to my reading and the growbeds don't match the water volume, yet everything seems to be working. The tank smells a bit....... fishy . Is that someone grabbing a huge handfull or rug and about to pull?

There might have been a tinge of green in the NH3 test this morning. I struggle with slight shades of yellow/green.

Stop feeding.... increase your aeration and/or pumping... please post all tests, including temp...

Test this afternoon went:
0.25/0/40
pH 8 (maybe 8.2)
temp has been between 15-19 for a few weeks.

Aeration is 70l/min but I'm not sure how effective it is. Runs 24/7. 8 balls and 4X1200mm air curtains. The return water drops about 500mm and when the cycle has just filled the BGs and all 4 standpipes are overflowing the water fall goes all the way to the bottom of the FT. This is where the trout like to hang, but I think it is as much for the cover of the SP cage as the aeration and water flow. I should order the sequencer now and go knock on Landmarks door as to the whereabouts of my 4 new GBs. That will double the water turn over from 'nowhere near it' to 'not enough' (I reckon it currently turns over 1kL/h out of 5kL).

The cook wants to do one bench (2 GBs/1000L) with exp clay because the carrots we started pulling are pretty wonky in the gravel. I'm looking into kidney prices on the black market right now, maybe a betting scam as a backup.

Values look alright Dexter... has the "fishy" smell disapated??

There is still a smell, but as to it's level of 'fishiness', it's hard to judge. There are no losses or anything drastic, but they haven't eaten today. The water is still 13 deg at lunch today. Shows what a bit of cloud cover after a cold night can do.

I wonder what is the coldest the SP will put up with?

Pulled some beetroot on the weekend. Some is in jars and some have been baked and blended with goats milk fetta to make a dip or paste. I haven't tried either yet.

It's just after 2100 and it's 7 deg outside and 13 deg in the FT. It will get colder. Should I turn the pump off overnight and just have air going to stop the water temp dropping below 10 deg? I'm a bit worried about the SP and I'm sure the plants don't need the water at night. Filtration is the issue, no?

Yes and no... oxygenation is more the point... your plants are fine with no pumping over night...

And whether or not your filtration will cope just pumping during the day... depends on your feed rate... and stocking density..

As the temp has dropped... so has your feed rate... so it probably comes down to just what your stocking rate is...

I've dropped my pump cycles out during the night already... but the Perch tank has a small external filter box... and the Barra tank has mucho air... and is (now ) lightly stocked...

Yes, I read about that. Bummer. We get to learn from your loss perhaps. You really don't charge enough for all this advise !

Did some more tests tonight for Ben to write in his book.

0.25/0/160
pH 8
temp 13

I need to test the 'ates again. See if he counted the drops right and do a dilution to see how far over 160 they are.

On another matter, where are people getting their APA budget troughs (Tilkey Tubs) from? Obviously the Queenslanders are getting them from Tilkey, but down south? The 4 that I ordered from Landmark Berri are the last ones I can get from there, and they are through Pinnaroo because they don't have the new ordering system out there yet.

Landmark seemed to be the only people handling them... think they're the only supplier that anyone has mentioned...

Well apparently Landmark are rolling out a new supplier number system and there is some sort of national register. Sort of an order code and APA is not on that system. They've dropped from 25000 suppliers to 15000 according to my blokes, ranging from Incitec (they were probably told pretty early on about the change ) to the mob that does the gloves or dogfood. Not on the list.... can't buy from them. So I'm told. A bit of a bummer if it's the case because they are a good option and I think my local blokes are doing them at nearly cost since it's not really one of their lines and it's more of a favour.